Today's telecommunications industry comprises a variety of different radio access technologies (RATs), including Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), GSM Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN), Generic Access Network (GAN), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (1x EV-DO), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology (DECT), and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD).
Further, next generation networks or next generation equipment, which may be referred to as long-term evolution (LTE), are being developed for future RATs. The LTE comprises more advanced network access equipment, which can provide improved or new services that were not possible previously. For instance, LTE may comprise an enhanced Node B (eNB) that provides a user improved network access, or other devices that are more highly evolved than the equivalent equipment in a traditional wireless telecommunications system. To obtain network access, the user can communicate with the network access equipment, or network access node, via a user equipment (UE) or a user agent (UA) within a range or area, referred to as a cell or a hot spot.
The UE or UA refers to any transportable device with wireless telecommunications capabilities, such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, handheld computers, and similar devices. The UE or UA can also refer to a device associated with a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) that comprises a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) application, a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application, or a Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM) application, or can refer to the device itself without such a card. The UE may communicate with a second UE, some other element in a telecommunications network, an automated computing device, such as a server computer, or some other device, any of which can be referred to as another system. A communications connection between a UE and other systems may promote a voice call, a file transfer, or some other type of data exchange, any of which can be referred to as a call or a session.
The UE communicates with the eNB or other network access equipment by exchanging traffic or information via a plurality of channels. For instance, the UE may send traffic to the eNB via an uplink channel and receive traffic from the eNB via a downlink channel. The uplink and downlink channels may be physical channels that are assigned or associated with network resources. Further, the uplink or downlink channels may be dedicated channels that carry one type of traffic, such as data or control information, or shared channels that carry different types of traffic.